The present inventive concepts relate to semiconductor devices, and, more particularly, to semiconductor devices including embedded magnetic memory elements.
In contemporary embedded semiconductor devices, memory elements and logic elements are commonly integrated together on a single chip. Such embedded semiconductor devices may include a primary memory element configured to store user data and a functional circuit configured to process specific functions requested by a user.
In modern electronic devices, memory devices of the non-volatile type are desired since they preserve user data, even in the absence of a power supply. Flash memory devices have become popular as non-volatile devices. However, flash memory devices are associated with relatively slow operating speeds, which may adversely impact the performance of the resulting system. Magnetic memory devices have been studied for potential to address and obviate the limitations of flash memory devices. Magnetic memory devices operate at relatively higher speeds and offer non-volatile characteristics; accordingly, magnetic memory devices have attracted considerable attention as next-generation memory devices. This is especially true as consumer electronics demand higher speeds, low power consumption, and ever-increasing integration.